The present invention relates to thermoplastic composits in general and more particularly to a stamp press process for imprinting decorative texture in thermoplastic composites, such as polypropylene/random glass composites.
The building and construction industry utilizes textured concrete forms (e.g. up to 4'.times.12' in dimension) when pouring concrete in highly visible structural components such as walls, floors, and the like. While it has been discovered that polypropylene/glass composites provide many advantages as a concrete form compared to alternative materials (e.g. polyester, fiberglass, plywood, etc.) including better release from cured concrete, less cleaning requirements between pours, and hence better longevity in repeated applications, there presently is no process available to imprint decorative textures in the polypropylene/glass composite material to provide a decorative finish.
Alternative approaches such as gravure rolls and stainless steel molds, for example, require a substantial volume of a singular pattern to justify costs of preparing such molds. Hence, a cost effective method of preparing molds meeting the processing requirements for low-to-intermediate volumes of concrete forms is desirable.